NBC’s long network nightmare is over, quipped Olympics executive producer Jim Bell on a conference call from Sochi: Bob Costas will return Monday night as host of NBC’s Olympics broadcasts. While it was fine to have Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira jump in during the six nights Costas missed due to an eye infection, “Bob’s always the man,” he said.

In the photo tweeted by NBC, Costas has no eyeglasses in sight.

“During the worst three days of it I was primarily in a darkened room,” Costas said, adding that he was able to go to the hotel restaurant and walk out on a terrace overlooking the Black Sea. “On the second day that I was out, (NBC Sports Group Chairman) Mark Lazarus arranged to have an NBC feed hooked up to my room.” He was able to catch not only the Olympics coverage but “the last minutes of the Syracuse-N.C. State game to see my alma mater pull another miracle.” Go, Orange.

At its worst, the infection caused blurred vision and light sensitivity that made it impossible to go back on the air. “There’s still some redness and swelling,” Costas said, “but I can function.”

“Boy, this is the hard part,” Jay Leno said, choking up at the end of his final “Tonight Show.”

After a warm sendoff by Billy Crystal, with help from a Kardashian, Oprah, Carol Burnett, Garth Brooks and other mainstreamers, it was really the end. This time for real.

Twenty-two years at the top of the ratings, the hardest working guy in showbiz, the man most determined to win and hold the NBC bedtime court jester slot was saying goodbye. (Again.) And for him and presumably for the fan base, it was tough. Leno reflected on his personal milestones during those 22 years — losing his parents, his brother — still calling it the best 22 years of his life. It wasn’t the classy sendoff Johnny Carson managed, but a big-tent affair, a bit of something for everyone, in the manner of his long-running gig. Innocuous, middle-of-the-road and a bit sentimental.

KUVO (89.3 FM) will make rare changes to its program schedule with the start of 2013. General Manager Carlos Lando said the intention is to expand the public radio station’s locally produced jazz programming into the early evening hours on weekdays in response to listeners’ needs.

Beginning Jan. 6, “First Take with Lando and Chavis” will be extended for another hour, airing 6=9 a.m. “The Morning Beat” with Victor Cooper follows, 9 a.m.-noon, with Arturo Gomez’s “Lunchtime at the Oasis” noon-1 p.m.

“Take Note,” with Susan Gatschet Reese fills the afternoon until 4 p.m., followed by the “Jazz Caravan” with Erik Troe until 6 p.m. “Into the Evening” with Rodney Franks runs 6-8 p.m. followed by “The Night Beat.”

NBC announced coverage plans for the Olympics Feb. 6-23, and the emphasis is on digital.

For the first time, viewers won’t see coverage of the most popular events held until primetime, leaving them to dodge results for hours after the events are over. Instead, livestreaming will be key. Cable customers will have to sign in to access extra content online, where competition in 15 sports will be available via livestream (at NBCOlympics.com or on the NBC Sports Live Extra app).

Bob Costas will be primetime and late-night anchor for NBC’s Sochi Olymmpics coverage, making him U.S. TV’s first 10-time Olympics host.

Per the Dec. 19 NBC release:

The biggest Winter Olympics in history, set to take place in the biggest country in the world, will receive the most U.S. coverage in Winter Games history. NBCUniversal will present more than 1,539 hours of coverage of the XXII Olympic Winter Games from Sochi, Russia, across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, MSNBC, USA Network and NBCOlympics.com. The 1,539+ hours are the most ever for a Winter Olympics and more than the coverage of the previous two Winter Olympics combined.

NBC’s coverage of the 2014 Sochi Games begins in primetime on Thursday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m. ET, one night before the network’s traditional coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 7, and continues until the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 23. NBC’s schedule is divided into three dayparts – daytime, primetime and late night – for a total of 185 hours over 18 days.

A decline in the overall number of people using television is apparent in the Denver TV ratings in the just completed November sweeps (Oct. 31-Nov. 27). Increased use of digital and mobile technology are having an impact.

That said, there are highlights: 9News regained its across-the-board ratings dominance after losing the 4:30 a.m. hour to 7News last November. CBS4 showed gains in the morning and at 5 p.m. And Fox31 had a solid win over KTVD at 9 p.m.

Last year at this time, 9News enjoyed a late-news boost from NBC’s primetime, which had its first November win in nine years. This year, CBS4 benefited from the CBS primetime slate (“The Big Bang Theory” is the top comedy among Denver viewers, “NCIS” is the market’s No. 1 drama, both on CBS).

You’ve heard the news: NBC is developing a miniseries about the life of Johnny Carson, adapted from Bill Zehme’s upcoming biography, “Carson the Magnificent: An Intimate Portrait.” The start of production is a long way off, but it’s not too soon to think about who should star.

The famously private host of the “Tonight Show” is so well known as an on-camera icon, it may be difficult to cast the title role.

Perhaps, since the story is to cover 30 years (1962-92), the part should be divided among two actors to play young and old Carson? Maybe it should go to an unknown? Someone with an impish grin and a Nebraska accent?

I’m thinking Greg Kinnear, who has the demeanor. Michael Sheen who, though British, can inhabit any character. Jason Bateman, who has the comedy chops. And John Slattery, who might be perfect as the more senior Carson.

Chris Tucker, Mark Harmon, Lisa Kudrow, Ice Cube, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, George Lopez and Angela Bassett are among those who will sit on the couch with host Arsenio Hall during the first week. Musical guests include Nas, Mac Miller, Earth, Wind & Fire and Emblem3.

“There’s a lot of competition,” Arsenio Hall said about his new late-night show, which will tape in L.A. “I’m trying to change my name to Jimmy.”

With Kimmel, Fallon and the rest cluttering the late-night TV landscape, it’s not going to be easy to carve a niche. But Hall believes there’s room.

“You don’t have to go after Chelsea’s fans or Leno’s fans to be in the game.”

In Denver, “Arsenio” will air on Fox31 at 11:35 p.m. Monday through Friday beginning Sept. 9, and at midnight on Sunday.

The producers maintain there are hundreds of thousands of Americans not watching late-night who are available to tap.

Among the moments on his previous show that Hall is proudest of: the Bill Clinton appearance, which changed the way politicians regard talk/variety show hosts; the Magic Johnson AIDS announcement.

Music doesn’t get the ratings talk does, so he intends to talk to musicians as well as letting them play. One thing he’ll need to avoid is the cliche: “music is the soundtrack of your life,” he says. And, “I want to send you to bed with a smile on your face.”

Les Moonves, uber-boss of CBS, made an unscheduled appearance at the TCA press tour today, filling in for CBS President Nina Tassler, called away by the death of a childhood friend.

Moonves has always been a quotable, savvy source, reminding us of the hard-core business imperatives at the heart of any discussion of TV. He has a hand in everything from casting to selling off the billboard part of the company. But it always comes back to finances. Among his key insights: “the short-order series is the new business model. It’s a new world,” with Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and the rest. And traditional TV is doing fine with help from extra platforms. For instance, 13.7 million people saw the premiere of “Under the Dome.” But that number rose to 20+ million with streaming, DVRs, on demand, etc. “The numbers can be as big (as in the past),” Moonves said.

CBS announced “Under the Dome” will be back for a second season next summer, with Stephen King writing the first episode. Is it possible the folks could be stuck under that dome forever? “This is television!” Moonves says, implying that to ask about the plausibility is like asking why a plane never spotted Gilligan.

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.